Tank-car for preventing vegetable growth on railroad-beds



No. 677,445. Patented July 2, IBM. 8. P. E. ERICKSUN.

TANK CAR FOR PREVENTING VEGETABLE GROWTH 0N RAILROAD BEDS.

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No. 677,445. Patented July 2, NM. 8. P. E. ERICKSON.

ANK CAR FOR PREVENTING VEGETABLE GROWTH (IN RAILROAD BEDS. (Application filed 1hr. 18, 1901.) (No Modal.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SARAH r. it. ERICKSON, or soANDIA, KANSAS.

TAN K-CAR FOR PREVENTING VEGETABLE GROWTH ON RAILROAD-BEDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 677,445, dated July 2, 1901.

' Application filed March 18, 1901. Serial No. 51,812. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SARAH P. E. ERIoKsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scandia, in the county of Republic and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Tank-Gar to Prevent Vegetable Growth on Railroad-Beds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved tank-car for discharging brine or other suitable fluid onto the bed of a railroad to prevent vegetable growth thereon and preserve the railroadties; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tank-car embodying my improvements, showing the same coupled ahead of a locomotive. Fig. 2 is a sectional View ofthe same, showing the tanlccar coupled to a reservoir or water-supply tank-car. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same.

In the embodiment of my invention I provide a tank-car 1 of suitable capacity, which has the usual supporting-trucks 2 and is provided under its lower side with a dischargevalve 3, from the lower side of which depend a series of discharge-nozzles 4., which, as here shown, terminate in flexible discharge-tubes 5, the lower ends of the latter being retained in openings in a cross-board 6, that is suspended from the bottom of the tank-car by hangers 7.

At the ends of the tank-car are water-intakes 8, on which are hinged covers 9, and by means of which water-intakes the car may be readily supplied with Water from a railroad water-tank of the usual construction.

In the top of the tank-car 1 are openings 10,-which are provided with hinged covers 11. Through the said openings 10 salt is placed in the body of water in the tankcar to form a brine of suitable strength. A lever 12 is provided, by means of which the valve 3 may be opened or closed to discharge brine from the tank-car or cut oil the discharge of brine therefrom at will. The said lever has a spring pressed dog 14 of the usual construction, which by engagement with a segment-rack 15, with which the tank-car is provided, enables the lever 12, and hence the valve, to be looked at any desired position.

A suitable tubular coupling 13 extends from the top of the tank-car at the rear end thereof to the smoke-stack of a locomotive, ahead of which the tank-car is coupled. Thereby the exhaust-steam from the locomotive passes to the tank-car over the body of brine or other suitable fluid and serves to heat the same, as will be'understood. Incidentally sparks from the locomotive will be extinguished by the brine. The said tank-car has at its front end a supplemental stack 16.

In operation one of my improved tank-cars 'may be employed with each train and caused to discharge hot brine onto the road-bed. In a short time the road-bed will become so saturated with the brine as to prevent the-growth of vegetation. Moreover, the brine which is absorbed by the ties will greatly lengthen the life thereof by retarding decomposition. Any other suitable fluid may be used in lieu of the brine.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings I show a watertank or reservoir-tank car 17,.which is coupled to the tank-car 1 ahead of thelatter and is also connected thereto by a flexible tubular coupling 18, having suitable valves 19,

and by means of which the tank-car 1 can be supplied with Water or other fluid from the water-tank or reservoir car.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A tank-car having means to discharge fluid therefrom onto the bed of a railroad, and a connection with the smoke-stack of a locomotive to utilize the exhaust-steam from the locomotive for heating the contents of said tank-car, substantially as described.

2. A tank-car having a discharge-valve disposed transversely under the same, and pro- Vided with a plurality of depending dischargenozzles 4, hangers depending from the bottom of the car, a cross-board supported by said hangers,and a plurality of flexible discharge= tubes 5 forming the lower terminals of the nozzles 4 and retained in openings in said cross-board, substantially as described.

3. A tank-car having means to discharge fluid therefrom onto the bed of a railroad, a. my own I have hereto aifixed 111 y signature in connection with the smoke-stack of a 1000- the presence of two witnesses.

motive to utilize the exhaust from the locox motive to heat the contents of said tank-ear, ERIGKSON 5 and a supplemental smoke-stack, substen- Witnesses:

tielly as described. 11. S. COOPER,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as A. R. MOREY. 

